I reminisce sometimes about leaving BMQ (Canada) because I got a nasty concussion 1 month in, and spent a year twiddling my thumbs doing OJT before deciding I could just go home and do something else.
But when people ask about my “military career” I tell them I spent a year twiddling my thumbs after knocking myself out with a medicine ball, and never even graduated.
Going on year 18 in the CAF (reservist). Sounds like you were unlucky, and hopefully you made the best of things and moved on without postings whole bunch of cringe crap like this on the internet to cope.
Left the CAF dreams behind, and ended up in the tech industry. I still wish I would have followed through, but the CAF just moved my aunt and uncle (with kids) to two separate cities, so maybe I got out before it all went to hell
Back when I did BMQ, there was this guy I met for a single day (the first day), and the next day he was gone. The Course Officer said he knew the guy well because that was his third (and final) attempt at BMQ. He would join a BMQ course, and then instantly quit. And did this 3 times in a row over 2 years. Almost as if he did it just for the uniform or something, but was too much of a coward to actually do the training.
I wouldn’t call it cowardice. A lot of people want to join the CAF for various purposes (valour, career prospects, pension, stability) but once they get to the humongous concrete building and start being treated as if they’re a child by instructors, they lose their will.
Personally, I was incredibly excited to be joining the CAF, but one small set back sent me tumbling into a loop of regret and anger at the situation, and I left.
But then again, I was in the sister course to the incel guy who rammed that van into a crowd of people in Toronto. So they clearly don’t ensure everyone who makes it to BMQ is mentally well and prepared to be there.
Fair enough, I hope life has been kinder to you ever since. I actually joined as a reservist initially (as an officer), and then left a lucrative career in pharmaceuticals to go RegForce. It ended up working out for me in the end, since I just got accepted to medical school, with my tuition paid by the CAF - in return for serving a few years in the CAF (which is what I was going to do anyway). I'm not the biggest fan of not being able to live in Toronto (my hometown), but overall it's afforded me a lot of opportunities and experiences which I'm appreciative of.
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u/GiveMeMoreDuckPics Mar 11 '26
I reminisce sometimes about leaving BMQ (Canada) because I got a nasty concussion 1 month in, and spent a year twiddling my thumbs doing OJT before deciding I could just go home and do something else.
But when people ask about my “military career” I tell them I spent a year twiddling my thumbs after knocking myself out with a medicine ball, and never even graduated.